LAPD Officer Files Civil Rights Lawsuit

A veteran officer filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Thursday against the Los Angeles Police Department, saying there is “a pattern, policy and practice” within the department to retaliate against individual policemen who become disabled.

In his suit, Officer Jeffrey J. Zych cited incidents in which he said police confused his illness with AIDS, falsely arrested him and wrongly committed him to a mental hospital.

But police administrators have noted in Internal Affairs Division reports that the 30-year-old officer has had a series of confrontations with the public, and that he once pointed a handgun at his head. Earlier this week, the department filed disciplinary charges against Zych, a nine-year veteran, and ordered him to appear at an administrative hearing, where he could be fired. Lt. Fred Nixon, chief spokesman for the department, said Thursday he could not comment on Zych’s performance problems because the matter is in litigation.